Maternal Responsibilities

Posted on Thu Nov 30th, 2023 @ 7:08am by Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu & Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya

1,104 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Starship Graveyard
Location: Tactical Information Center

Karuta returned to the Tactical Information Center after leaving Mikoto on sickbay. As soon as the doors opened she saw Commander Takasu turn around and raise an eyebrow.

"I thought you were off duty?" He asked curiously as he turned away from the console he was repairing. He wasn't expecting the warrant officer to return.

"Technically I am. However my quarters are no longer habitable due to radiation from the broken replicator," Karita replied in her normal emotionless monotone. She made her way deeper I to the room, allowing the door to swish closed behind her.

"What about your daughter?" Ryuuji asked a hint of worry in his voice. "Is she OK?"

"Mikoto is currently being attended to by Doctor Ellis. She has sustained radiation poisoning." Karita replied. She didn't seem like it was anything to be worried about.

"So... Why are you here and not there?"

"My presence would have no outcome on her condition." Karuta said. "Since my quarters are unsafe and Mikoto is now being treated, it is logical to continue working to ensure survival of the ship and crew."

Ryuuji let out a sigh. "It may be logical, but you should be with your daughter. She still needs her mother right now. She's probably going to be scared." Ryuuji told her. He wasn't too sure on the relationship between Karuta and her daughter, he only knew that if his child was sick that would be his highest priority.

"Vulcan children don't get scared," Karuta replied as she moved over to her usual console and began to tap at its smooth cold surface. The sounds of the console beeping seemed to echo for a brief moment as she worked the controls.

"Oh yes they do. And your daughter is only one quarter Vulcan. She's more Human than Vulcan. If anything she's vert scared right now," Ryuuji replied. He made his way over to Karuta and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know you don't show emotions Karuta, but I can tell that you are worried about her. Something happened that drove you back here didn't it?"

Karuta looked up into the much taller man's eyes. "Mikoto is an illogical child. She struggles with her mixed heritage. I do not understand her at times," she admitted.

"You don't have to understand her. She's not a piece of data or something you should have to understand. She's a child." Ryuuji said softly. "Look, kids do weird things all the time. They can be irrational, hard to manage and be very illogical. Its called being a child. She's doing what comes naturally to her, at least in her own head of course," he smiled.

Karuta nodded, she was starting to put the dots together now. "Mikoto has always been more attached to her father than me. She called out for him in sickbay even though he is not aboard."

"Ah..." Ryuuji said. "That must have hurt."

"I felt no pain from it. She did not know what she was saying due to her condition." Karuta replied as she averted her gaze, looking back down at the console as of to avoid eye contact.

"Yeah, I'm calling bullshit on that!" Ryuuji said quickly. "You don't have to tell me Karuta, but where is Mikoto's father?"

"Her father is on a long range deep space tactical vessel." She replied. "We no longer pursue a relationship. Unfortunately we decided to terminate that after we continued to have disagreements. It was decided it would be safer for Mikoto to reside with me here on the Tokyo than with her father," she explained. "The ship he is on is in a dangerous part of space."

"I wouldn't exactly call this ship a safe place either," Ryuuji replied. "But I understand your logic." He paused for a brief moment. "I'm not going to pry, but I want to say as someone who works with you, perhaps even a friend, that you should put aside logic this once and do what your heart says."

Karuta stared at him for a few seconds. "You are saying that I should be with Mikoto? Even though my presence has no impact on her recovery?"

"It has a huge impact on her recovery!" Ryuuji replied. "When she wakes up, what is she going to see first? The medical staff, or her mother? What do you think she would like to see?"

Karuta raised an eyebrow.

"Look. Trust me, she will want you to be there. Children, especially Human children need to know they're loved. If she sees you by her bedside she will know that. It will make her feel safe and she won't be scared. You say she favours her father over you, then you need to take both roles into consideration." He told her. "You need to think about what she's going to think if she wakes up in sickbay alone. Will she know that it was you that found her? Will she wonder where you are? Will she think that you consider your duties as more important to you than her? All of those questions will be running through her head."

"I think I am starting to understand," Karuta replied. "My other children were more Vulcan, so it has been... difficult to raise Mikoto."

"Children don't come with an instruction manual Karuta," Ryuuji replied with a smile. "I'm going to be a parent soon, so I've got all this to look forward to. But right now, having a child is a special gift. You need to see her for who she is, not what she represents or for her physiology." He told her. "Yes, she's part Vulcan, mainly Human, but in the end she's your daughter and she needs you more than ever right now."

"I am starting to understand." Karuta replied. "I believe I should as if I should be relieved?"

"Karuta, as far as I'm aware, you never came back here."He said giving her a wink. "And you're off duty due to 'personal reasons' until Mikoto is safe and healthy again."

"Thankyou Commander." Karuta said as she turned to leave. She took a few steps towards the door before stopping and turning around to face Ryuuji. "Commander..."

"Huh? Yeah?"

"You will become a good father to the child you are expecting with Captain Aisaka. She is.... lucky, to have a husband that cares so deeply about family." Karuta said before leaving the TIC. It might have been Ryuuji's imagination but he could have sworn that he saw her smile just now.

Posting by

Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu
Chief Strategic Operations Officer

Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya
Air Boss

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